Love Ever After: Eleven All-New Romances!

by Nina Lane

  “And half of senior year,” Robin said as she was shaking her head back and forth, a mixture of awe and disgust on her beautiful face. “What are you going to do?”

  “Hank asked me to marry him,” Annie explained. “After we both graduate. He’s taking classes all summer so he’ll graduate in December, only a few months after we do.” Annie took a breath. She had a plan, it was all worked out, she just needed to explain it all to Robin and then, everything would be fine. If Robin was fine, then everything would work out. Her mom had helped make the plan, it would all work out, Annie had convinced herself. Mostly because Hank assured her it would.

  Robin was still shaking her head. Annie needed Robin to tell her everything was fine, that the plan was going to work.

  Annie said, “My mom will take care of the baby until I graduate. Isn’t that great?”

  Annie’s eyes swelled with tears, a clear admission she wasn’t really great, not at all.

  Robin rushed to her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Oh, Annie, that sounds like a plan. Hank is amazing. You two are perfect together.” Robin blinked, her dark brown eyes filled with tears. “It’s just, it’s just so fast.”

  “Tell me about it,” Annie said, tears streaming down her cheeks, too. And even as Robin consoled her, and even as much as she knew Hank would make a great dad, she also knew that the baby was probably Chris’, and a result of rape.

  And that knowledge, a fact she’d only shared with her mom, terrified her. Annie shook her head, trying to focus on the positive. When she’d told him she was pregnant, immediately Hank had asked her to marry him and she’d said yes.

  She knew she had probably been in shock the whole day that the plus sign had appeared in the early morning when she did the test that had changed her life forever. That day, the day she found out she was PREGNANT, Hank had arrived at the Theta house at nine in the morning as usual. As she stepped outside, the sun was shining, as though it was just a normal day. But it didn’t FEEL like a normal day. It could have been just another normal day except … she was PREGNANT.

  So when Hank had said, “Good morning beautiful,” and kissed her cheek, she’d blurted out, “I’m pregnant!”

  “Annie, uh, what?” Hank had sputtered, green eyes blinking in the morning sunshine. “Uh, what did you say?”

  Annie had nodded, tears filling her eyes.

  She heard Hank sigh, and he had looked up into the bright blue sky. After a moment, he focused his green-eyed gaze back on Annie, dropped to one knee and said, “Annie, will you marry me?”

  Annie had dropped to her knees, on the grass in front of the Theta house, kneeling in front of the most wonderful person she’d met in her life and said, “Yes.”

  TODAY

  TOP OF THE WORLD

  LAGUNA BEACH

  Hank blinked. Annie watched as the realization washed over his face and his head dropped.

  “It’s his baby. Noah is Chris’ son,” he said softly.

  “No, Noah is your son. He just has some of Chris’ genes,” Annie said.

  “Dammit, Annie, why didn’t you ever tell me?” Hank said, crossing the room, standing and looking out the window toward the street, anger now peppering his voice.

  “It wasn’t important. You are his father, you are all he will ever know,” Annie said. “My mom and I were the only ones who knew the truth. She agreed to help with Noah that first year with one condition. She needed to know who the biological father was, as she put it, and she said I should, too. After that I guess it never seemed important. You’re his father, the only one he will ever know,” Annie said.

  “I’m so stupid. I never even considered it could be him.” Hank said. “You told me you only had sex once. What are the odds?” He paced back and forth across the room as he held a conversation as much with himself as with Annie. “We used a condom. Why didn’t I even consider that the baby wasn’t mine?”

  Annie knew she needed to tell him the rest, about the whole truth of Noah’s conception.

  “That wasn’t true,” she said, placing her hands on her stomach, “that we only had sex one time.” She paused before she spoke, dreading the truth, knowing it was time. “We did have sex once, and then later, he drugged and raped me,” she said through the tears that were now falling freely down her cheeks.

  Hank turned from the window to look at her. Annie could feel him staring at her, she could feel his rising anger from across the room.

  “Annie, what happened?” Hank asked. His voice icy.

  “The only night I spent with him. After we had sex, and I took a shower, he put something in my wine. I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t move. He raped me, without using a condom. The drugs he gave me made everything fuzzy, I have bits and pieces of memory of that terrible night. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew it had to be his fault. You and I were so careful,” she said.

  Tears continued to flow down her face as she realized this could be the end of their marriage, their future ruined by an act of a crazy person so long ago. She should have told Hank the truth from the beginning, she realized, no matter what she promised her mom.

  “I wish you had told me the truth Annie,” Hank said finally. He had moved to the farthest corner of the room away from her, and he was leaning against the bedroom wall.

  “I know. I’m sorry. My mom convinced me, and well, I agreed. I thought it was for the best. I tried to pretend Chris never existed. And he hasn’t, not really. Nothing has changed,” Annie said. Her world was coming to an end. She couldn’t live without Hank, without their family, she knew. This was the man who’d been by her side, taking care of her since the day they’d met. Her heart pounded in her chest. “Please forgive me.”

  “What if he’s in town to try to claim Noah?” Hank said. Annie wanted to believe his voice was less angry, more worried. He crossed the room and sat down next to her. Instinctively, she leaned against him, feeling his warm comfort. “We need to call the police now.”

  “He may have a legal right to a relationship with Noah, and he can demand a genetic test,” Annie said, chills spread through her. “If he found out, then he could have access to both of us, me and Noah. Oh my God.” Annie dropped her head into her hands as Hank patted her back.

  “No way. Not when the child is the result of rape. I don’t think any judge in his right mind would let that man near our child, or you,” Hank said. Annie sat up and looked into Hank’s eyes and watched as he pulled out his telephone. “We need a domestic violence restraining order this time. I had no idea he raped you. I’m calling Fred next. He’ll jump on this.”

  Fred was Hank’s family’s attorney, and the man who had helped convince the courts the original civil harassment restraining order was necessary. As Hank talked to the police on the telephone, Annie suddenly wondered where the boys were.

  She stood up and yanked the bedroom door open, hurrying down the hall. The sound of laughter filled her ears as she spotted her mom playing a game with Noah and Houston in the family room.

  Clare winked at Annie and waved her away. Annie mouthed “Thank you” and walked back into the bedroom.

  Hank finished his phone call and turned to face Annie. “The police will be here in thirty minutes. Fred will be here in an hour,” he said. With the lights on in the bedroom now, Annie could see the stress on Hank’s face, his jaw tight, his brow wrinkled.

  “Ok,” Annie said, feeling again the need to explain things to Hank. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you before, Hank. I never thought he’d be back in our lives.” Thinking back, Annie wondered why she ever thought Chris would leave her alone – he hadn’t before. “I never thought it would matter who his genetic father was, unless there was a medical emergency or something. You were the only father I wanted in my child’s life. And I just wasn’t sure how to tell you about everything else.”

  Hank took a step toward her and Annie’s heart swelled. He reached for her hands, taking one in each of his.

  “You should have told me Ann
ie. And well, I should have figured it out. I mean, the kid has brown hair, no freckles, blue eyes. He doesn’t look anything like me,” Hank said.

  “Yep, he looks just like me. I must have some strong genes,” Annie said, the same reassurance she’d been giving Hank since Noah was born falling quietly from her lips.

  “You are dominant, that’s for sure,” Hank said, pulling her into his arms. “I get it. I understand why you did it. Why you didn’t tell me. I forgive you Annie. It was a crazy time, but it lead to this wonderful life that we have together now. And I’m not going to let Chris mess up the life we’ve worked so hard for.”

  “I love you,” Annie said, burrowing her head into his chest.

  “I love you, too,” Hank said. They stood there for a moment, both alone with their own thoughts, but together. The doorbell rang. “Must be the cops,” Hank says.

  “Hank, Annie,” Clare called from the family room. “Doorbell.”

  “Thanks Mom, we’re coming,” Annie said, as Hank reached the door first.

  “Clare, I need you to take the kids out back! Now!” Hank commanded and Annie watched as her mom grabbed Noah and Houston by the hands and hurried out through the sliding glass door. Chills spread through her as Hank said, “Annie you can go with your mom or stay with me. I’ll protect you.”

  “I’ll stay, of course,” Annie said. Hank grabbed her hand, making sure she was standing behind him as he pulled the door open.

  “Hey, been a long time,” Chris said, his eyes flashing at Hank and a big smile on his face. His khaki pants were wrinkled, and his white T-shirt had a mustard-colored stain on the front. Annie still couldn’t believe she’d ever allowed him into her life. Now, all these years later, he looked as crazy as he was.

  “Get the fuck off my property,” Hank said pulling his hand up, fist clenched. Annie hoped he’d hit Chris. She knew he could knock him out with one punch.

  “Oh, I will. Just wanted to drop off some towels I found a few years back. Oh, and to say hi to my kid. I think you named him Noah,” Chris said. His voice was chillingly calm.

  Annie felt her knees go weak as Hank’s arm wrapped around her waist. He still managed to keep her positioned behind him, shielding her with his body. He knows, he knows Noah is his.

  “Here’s how this is going to work,” Hank said to Chris. Annie heard Hank’s voice, calm and steady, but she felt Chris’ icy stare. She began to shake even as Hank held her tight.

  Hank continued, “I know about the rape and you know we have numerous case files on you, and a restraining order against you. So you’re going to turn and walk away. You will never come near my family again.” Annie forced herself to look into Chris’ face and he smiled at her before looking at Hank.

  “You’re so angry, Hank,” Chris said. Hank stepped forward and Chris jumped back a step.

  “Chris, you have about five minutes before the cops get here. When they do, you’ll be arrested. Plan on it,” Hank said.

  Chris shifted his gaze back to Annie, taking in her swollen stomach, her tear-stained face, and she knew, he saw the panic in her eyes. Then he smiled.

  “I don’t think you’re bluffing, Hank. So I’ll go. And you know what, I’m not sure what I saw in her all these years. You’re huge. You’ve really let yourself go,” Chris said, shaking his head. “Ugly. You’re ugly Annie.”

  Hank held her tight. “Get out of here. Don’t ever come back. I will put you in jail. You won’t get out. You are nothing to us, any of us.”

  “Yeah, fine, whatever,” Chris said, turning finally as if he were leaving. Annie couldn’t believe he was just going to walk away. “I’ve got more important things to do, Annie. You used to be pretty. I have no idea what happened to you.” And with that, he walked away, down their front walkway to the street where he climbed into a tan car and drove away.

  Hank slammed the door closed and locked it. Supporting the still shaking Annie, he walked her to the kitchen where he pulled out a stool for her to sit on. Then he helped himself to a beer out of the refrigerator and grabbed a water bottle for Annie.

  “Wow,” he said, taking a big drink from the beer bottle. “He’s gone. At least, I think he’s gone. But we’re still getting a domestic violence restraining order in place and we’ll take it to civil court if he ever shows his face in town again.” He paused and then turned back towards the counter. “I’ve got to write down his license plate before I forget,” he said, grabbing a Post-It note from the counter.

  “You were great with him,” Annie said, breaking the silence. “I couldn’t talk. I’m sorry.”

  “I am so sorry about what he did to you. And I’m glad you finally told me about Noah, not that it changes anything, not really,” Hank said. “I’m going to go get your mom and the boys from the back yard. You ok?”

  “Yes. I’m ok because I’m with you. But do you really think he’s gone?” Annie said.

  “I don’t know, but no matter what, we can handle it together,” Hank said, kissing her on the forehead before walking out of the kitchen to find his sons. Annie couldn’t have loved him more than she did at that moment.

  SIX MONTHS LATER

  TOP OF THE WORLD

  LAGUNA BEACH

  Annie woke with a start, the morning sunlight streaming into their bedroom. Beside her, Hank was sleeping peacefully, one arm above his head.

  The baby had slept through the night, Annie thought with a smile, stretching and then slipping out of bed. As she walked down the hall to the nursery, Annie was filled with gratitude. Thankful for a good night’s sleep of course, a first since Clare was born, but she was thankful for so much more.

  She carefully opened the door to the nursery, and saw her precious daughter sleeping on her back, her tiny hands in little fists on either side of her perfect head, her strawberry blonde dusting of hair a sweet surprise at birth. Both of her boys had been born bald and screaming, as if angry to be arriving in the world. But her tiny daughter had arrived peacefully, with eyes wide open as if things were just as they should be.

  Annie knew she should back away from the crib, close the door and let the baby sleep. She backed out of the room, pulled the door shut, and walked to the kitchen. Noah’s school backpack was on the kitchen table where he’d left it yesterday after school. It was still stuffed with a week’s worth of school activities and paperwork that no doubt needed her attention. She unzipped it and tried to sort through the mess of papers, trying to figure out what to keep, and what needed a parent signature.

  Noah was a disorganized student, but he still managed straight As. Annie wanted to believe it was all her, but figured Chris had been an intelligent person who suffered from a psychosis. She’d researched the likelihood that Chris’ narcissism, abusive and stalking behaviors could be passed along to Noah, but from everything she’d read, environment was the biggest determiner and trigger for these behaviors. And obviously, Noah had been raised in a loving, stable environment. Something Chris had never had, she’d learned.

  After they’d filed the police report, their attorney Fred had convinced them to hire a private investigator to tail Chris and to dig into his past. He had, in fact, left Laguna Beach after their encounter with him at the front door. He’d driven to West Hollywood where he lived with a girlfriend, the investigator told them. Chris had grown up in an abusive home, where his alcoholic father battered not just his mom, but also Chris, until he ran away at age sixteen. He’d been on his own ever since.

  No wonder the lives of lucky teenagers living in the paradise of Laguna Beach appealed to him, Annie realized. While she was growing up loved and spoiled, enjoying her fame on Laguna Nights, Chris had been struggling just to live. Even so, there were plenty of people who overcame misfortune without becoming a stalker and rapist, her counselor had reminded her.

  For now, Chris was behind bars and would remain there for the next fifteen years, long enough for Noah to become an adult. Chris would not be a threat to any of them, not for a very long time, Annie realized
. She was free to focus on being a mom and a wife.

  Clare’s crying drifted down the hall and Annie smiled, anxious to hold her tiny child in her arms, to smell her baby scent. The boys were able to sleep through Clare’s cries, but as usual, Hank met her at the door to the nursery wearing only boxers, still groggy from just waking up.

  “She slept through the night,” he said, amazement in his sleepy green eyes.

  “She did,” Annie said, pushing open the door to the nursery and reaching for the tiny girl. “Shhh, it’s ok, Clare. Mommy and Daddy are here.”

  Hank wrapped his arms around her as she cradled Clare between them.

  “Do you know how much I love you,” Hank said as he leaned in for a kiss.

  “Yes, actually, almost as much as I love you,” Annie said. “I’m looking forward to our double date tonight. I feel like it’s been forever since we’ve been out.” Clare was thrilled to babysit her namesake and the boys so Annie and Hank could meet Madison and Josh for dinner in the village. Both couples were now parents of baby girls who would grow up together, best friends in Laguna Beach. At least that’s what Annie and Madison had planned.

  Hank said, “But first, a feeding for this perfect little creature. And a fun morning and day with all of our children. I swear Annie, I’m the luckiest in the world.”

  “No,” Annie said with a smile. “I’m the luckiest.”

  THE END

  Dear Readers!

  Thank you for reading Laguna Heights! I hope you enjoyed Annie and Hank’s story! And if you did, please recommend it to your friends and please review it! The first book in the Laguna Beach Series is Laguna Nights, featuring Annie’s best friend Madison, known as Holly when they both starred on the hit reality TV show Laguna Nights. Madison thinks she has escaped from the spotlight of the show, and has only returned to Laguna Beach to take care of her sick mom. That’s when Josh, her high school boyfriend, arrives in town. I’ve included a brief excerpt here, just to tempt you!